KENNESAW, Ga. (May 30, 2013)— Kennesaw State University rising junior Katherine Street has been selected by the Fulbright Commission to attend one of its Summer Institutes for U.S. Undergraduates.

Street, a member of the President’s Emerging Global Scholars (PEGS) program, will participate in the Fulbright Commission's Wales Summer Institute. The theme of the six-week cultural and academic program is “Contemporary Wales: Industry, Politics, Culture and Change.” Street will study at Cardiff University, Bangor University and Aberystwyth University. She will also visit museums, galleries, parks, castles and other cultural sites.

“I feel so blessed to have the support of so many members of our campus,” said Street, who is president of the Kennesaw State Student Government Association. “When I found out, I was stunned. Then the names of everyone who had been involved started coming to my mind and I knew I needed to thank each one of them.”

The PEGS program — a partnership of the Center for Student Leadership (CSL), University College and the Office of the President — is designed to promote sustained leadership development within a global context. “The PEGS program provides students with opportunities to challenge themselves personally and academically in pursuit of prestigious awards like the Fulbright,” said Phillip Poskus, the program manager. The program requires a rigorous application process and selects just 30 students per year.

“Katherine has been a joy to work with,” Poskus said. “She's a delightful, young woman with an infectious personality. Her commitment to the PEGS program and seeking out opportunities for herself and those she mentors sets an example for other students. She exudes humility, confidence and passion in all that she does. It has been a pleasure to watch her mature in her leadership.”

Street has applied for admission to Kennesaw State’s School of Nursing. She wants to become a nurse and an educator.

“Nursing is the perfect marriage of science and compassion,” said Street, who graduated from Classical Independent Studies, a small private school in her hometown of Woodstock, Ga.

“After working as a nurse and understanding the language of compassion, I would like to pursue my master’s and a Ph.D. to be part of the health care dialogue. I want to contribute to the collaborative effort to address medical challenges facing our world.”

Karen Powers, the University’s national fellowships advisor, helped Street refine her Fulbright Commission application. “Fulbright looks for students who are leaders, excel academically, conduct research and are engaged with their campus and community,” she said.

Street was a natural. In addition to serving as president of the SGA, she mentors first-year PEGS students and started the Center of Student Leadership’s Relay for Life team.

“Katherine is just so well-rounded,” Powers said. “She understands the importance of broadening her knowledge base and opening herself up to research in an effort to become a leader in her field. Wales will offer her a unique experience to research both culture and medicine in a way that she could not experience here in the U.S.”

This is the second time this year that a Kennesaw State student has received a high-profile award. Jiexi Liao, a biochemistry major, received a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which will cover up to $7,500 of her college costs starting the fall 2013 semester. Liao was a member of the PEGS Program for 1.5 years.

The CSL offers opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills and become more engaged citizens. For more information go to: web.kennesaw.edu/csl.

The Fulbright Commission was created in 1948 to foster mutual cultural understanding through educational exchange between the United States and the United Kingdom. U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright conceived it in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. It offers scholarships and grants for study in a wide variety of fields.

The Fulbright Commission offers special summer institutes for U.S. citizens to travel to the U.K. This will be the fourth year of the Wales Institute.

--Yolanda Rodriguez

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Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering 80 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and nursing, and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing population of 24,600 students from more than 130 countries.